A LUSH Bath

I love a good bath, there's nothing better than after a long day outside in the cold than getting in a lovely warm bath. I love using LUSH products in my bath to make them a little more exciting as it always make them smell and look amazing!

Tonight I decided to use two products in my bath.. 

The first is the Twilight Bath Bomb which I love because 1. I love stars, 2. it smells like lavender so is a perfect bed time scent and 3. because when you put it in your bath it looks amazing, like the sky at twilight (get it?) it froths and fizzes and turns your bath pink and blue with random spots of yellow, its so pretty!

The second product I used was the Brightside Bubble Bar. I love having bubbles in the bath and LUSH bubble bars always create good bubbles, not ones small ones that disappear really quickly. This one is a large one so you can get at least 2 baths out of it, which is great because its always sad when you buy something and can only get one use out of it. This one also smells amazing, its triple orange-scented which is one of my favourite scents. It also made my skin super soft!

For Christmas I got this set from LUSH - The Great Balls Of Bicarb which is 5 bath bombs in a funky looking tube!

I loved having this and used it up pretty quickly but it was really nice getting to test out different products. My favourite was Dragon's Egg and Honey Bee both of which smelt amazing. Dragon's Egg was the prettiest out of them all, it contained popping candy and swirling sparkles and smelt like lemon sherbet so looked amazing! Honey Bee didn't look as pretty as it turned my bath water yellow (so kind of looks like you've had an accident in the bath) but smells so good. It contains honey, aloe vera and rhassoul mud so made my skin super soft!

What are your favourite LUSH products?

♥

8 Reasons To Still Love Disney In Your 20's

Growing up, Disney was a massive part of my childhood. I loved all of the films and had all of them on video tape (remember those bad boys!) and all the dressing up outfits! My favourite, although hard to pick, I always said was The Little Mermaid I don't have any reasons as to why it just was! Being in my 20's I'm not embarrassed to admit that Disney is still a big part of my life. I love putting a Disney classic on whilst snuggled in my PJ's and I'm no stranger to a stroll around the Disney store. So here are 8 reasons as to why I still love Disney...

1. Who doesn't love a good sing-a-long?

My personal favourite thing about disney...the songs are soo good! Whenever I'm feeling a bit down I know that a sing song will make me feel better. No one can deny that they can't resist singing the next line to The Circle Of Life - it makes you feel good. Everyone loves Disney songs and they're lying if they say they don't, do I have to mention that Let It Go is STILL in the charts?

2. They teach us the importance of love.

No Disney film is complete without a love story right? No matter how un-realistic their representation of love is, Disney taught us not only to love other people but also to love yourself. Even if it makes you feel sad about your single status Disney taught us that love can happen to anyone at any time.

3. It can bring back fond memories.

Because we relate Disney so much with our childhood, watching the same Disney films can bring back happy memories. When I'm sad I like to watch Alice In Wonderland because in high school we did a performance of Alice in Wonderland so watching the film takes me back to a very happy time of my live. Sometimes it's nice to slow down and remember happy times from the past, it helps clear your mind to deal with the present.

4. They help us understand the importance of family.

"A man should never neglect his family for business" - Walt Disney. One thing that I love about Disney is that they are family films and you can sit and watch them with anyone in your family, no matter what their age.

5. They can make you feel every emotion possible.

You want to laugh? You watch Robin Williams as the genie in Aladdin. You feeling angry? Let's talk about when Gaston sent Belle's dad of to the  asylum. You want to cry? Remember when Simba's dad died.

6. They give us a sense of adventure.

What's a Disney film without an adventure? If watching Up doesn't tickle your travelling taste buds then not much else will.

7. They remind us to believe in magic.

The world can be a pretty stressful place sometimes and its easy to get lost. Sometimes it's nice to think that there is magic and happiness in the world.

8. They inspire us to follow our dreams.

Disney teaches us to follow our dreams, whether it be love or adventure. Did Hercules give up on his dream to become a God? Did Rapunzel give up her on her dream to see the lights? Did Ariel give up on her dream of marrying prince Eric? No, and neither should you.

 ♥ 

Covering It Up | The Acne Diaries

Any acne suffer is not a stranger to hearing the words "It's because you wear so much make up" I have heard it several times and understand the urge to scream at them I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU LEAVE YOUR HOUSE WITH A FACE-FULL OF ANGRY RED SPOTS well take a deep breathe because covering your acne up with make up does not necessarily cause the acne. I'm not going to argue with the fact that some foundations can cause break outs because they do. But they don't have to - there are now lots of foundations and concealers on the market that are suitable for acne-prone skin and won't cause you to break out.

When looking for foundations its important to find one thats non-comedogenic which means it won't clog your pores allowing your skin to breathe. Oil free foundations are also important as most acne suffers also have very oily skin which contributes to the problem.

I am currently using Estee Lauder's Double Wear Stay In Place Make up foundation which is advertised as non-acnegenic so it's safe for troubled skin! This is a great foundation for me as it's medium to full coverage means that it covers my acne whilst its 15 hour staying power means that my oil skin doesn't cause it to move. This foundation does not cause me to break out - I have even slept in it (because of an unexpected night stop) and did not have any new spots when I took it off a near 24 hours later. It retails at £29.50 which I understand is pricey for some.

There are also some great high street brand foundations that are good for acne-prone skin. Seventeen On The Spot foundation is a full coverage foundation that has salicylic acid in which is great for fighting blemishes! I have used this foundation myself and found it to be very good as to it's claim to give 'clearer skin in four weeks' I'm not sure on but it didn't cause my to break out.

Mineral make-up can also be good for acne-prone skin. Bare Minerals do some great products all of which claim to improve the appearance of your skin over time due to the skin loving minerals inside them. I like to use the Bare Minerals SPF 20 Correcting Concealer it's a lovely concealer that I don't feel guilty about using on my skin as I know that it will do more good than bad.

Make up does not have to be a cause of acne but you have to use the right products for you. It's well worth doing research into the make up you want to buy and find out how good it is for your skin so you can still cover up your acne whilst treating it.
However it is good to have a few non-make up days to allow your skin to breathe, I like to not wear make up whenever I am having days around the house but if you do wear make up always remember to take it off before you go to sleep or even when you get home for the day using a good cleanser, check out my blog post about cleansing here.

Do you have any great make up recommendations for acne prone skin?

♥

Cleanse Cleanse Cleanse | The Acne Diaries

Cleansing your skin is important regardless of your skin type/skin problems. When you have acne the importance doubles, triples, quadruples even (bottom line it gets more important) 

There are a few things important when talking about cleansing...

Firstly to do it twice a day both in the morning and in the evening to ensure you have removed ALL of your makeup. NEVER EVER EVER sleep in your make up. When washing my face after a day of wearing makeup I like to wash twice, once to remove my makeup and then a second time to ensure it's all off.

Secondly finding the right cleanser for you is very important. There are lots of different cleansers on the market both high street and high end all that promise different (but ultimately similar things) I have tried lots of different cleansers from brands such as Simple, The Body Shop, Good Things and Proactiv. All of which have been fine, but none have properly but none of which have really satisfied my skin.

I am currently using Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish which I have done a separate blog post about here - this is a great cleanser and one I highly recommend. It leaves my skin feeling clean, smooth and glowing.

Cleansing is so important to having clear, healthy skin and a step that I make sure never to miss out on. By cleansing regularly you are removing all the dirt, oil, make up and acne causing bacteria from your skin allowing your skin to breathe and properly rejuvenate itself. Our skin naturally shed's off dead skin cells and creates new ones whilst we sleep, but this process is made a lot more tricky when your skin isn't as clean as it should be.

Which cleansers do you enjoy using?

 ♥   

Those Pesky Whiteheads | The Acne Diaries

picture taken from google

Lets face it despite constantly being told not to, we all squeeze spots - we just can't help it, it's too tempting. I personally hate walking around with a white head on my head and they're a lot more difficult to cover! 
However the big issue with squeezing them is the scars they leave behind which is caused by breaking the skin. However there is a way to squeeze spots to minimise the chances of the skin breaking.
The best way I've found to squeeze spots is too rinse a clean flannel/tissue/cotton pad in hot water and place it on the spot for around 10 minutes, in doing this you loosen the puss inside the spot (sorry if this grosses you out) then using cotton buds preferably (but lets face it who has time for that? you can use your fingers providing you wash your hands first) gently push together the skin around the spot so that the puss pops out, continue squeezing until all the puss is out and then with a clean, dry tissue place over the spot to clot any bleeding.Never pick at the spot and it the spot is not ready to squeeze then do not force it - this will break the skin. I like to squeeze any white heads and then cleanse to make sure no bacteria spreads to any where else on my face and causes more spots.
I have found that using this method has allowed my spots to heal quicker and minimises the scarring left from squeezing.

Sorry if this post has been a little graphic for some of you - some people like to squeeze their spots, other find the idea of it completely disgusting. either way hope this helps :)

♥

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time

Picture taken from google

On Friday 2nd of January I went to see a matinee performance of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time at The Gielgud Theatre.

After studying the book at A Level I was really looking forward to seeing the show. The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time is a brilliant book written by Mark Haddon about a teenage boy with aspergers syndrome who finds a dead dog in his neighbours garden and decides to do detective work to find out who killed the dog and write and murder mystery novel a long the way.

Both the play and the book give an amazing insight into aspergers syndrome and how people who have it see the world, it's really eye opening. It's really refreshing to see a show that educates you about different peoples out looks of the world.

Abram Rooney, who played Christopher, was absolutely incredible. His portrayal of the character was so inspiring and heart felt - he's a very talented actor and I was surprised to find out when I got home that he was in fact the understudy.

Being a big fan of musicals I don't usually see show without songs (as I love a good sing a long) and this is the first play I've seen in a long time however I was not left disappointed at all. From the very first scene you are hooked and don't want the interval to interrupt the show - no matter how much you need to pee or want an ice cream!

It's a truly inspiring show and you leave feeling a little bit better about the world - surely worth a see?

    ♥

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish | The Acne Diaries

Since having acne its been difficult finding products that really work with my skin. I had heard a lot about this product from various different youtubers and after reading some pretty great reviews I decided to try it myself and was not left disappointed.
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish is a plant based two-phase action cleanser that uses naturally active ingredients such as cocoa butter, Beeswax, Eucalyptus essential oil and Glycerin which all work together to leave your skin feeling clean, soft and so smooth.
This cleanser comes  with a muslin cloth that you use to wipe of the cleanser after rubbing it into dry skin. This is thought of as the second phase and works by lightly exfoliating leaving it lovely and soft. Exfoliating is an important step in anyone's skin routine but even more important when you have acne. However most exfoliating scrubs are too harsh for acne prone skin and can irritate it rather than help it heal. Using the muslin cloths provides a real gentle, frequent exfoliant for your skin which aids in the treatment for your acne.
Before using this product I had cystic acne spots on my cheeks and forehead that were really painful, but since using it these have disappeared and I am finally starting to see progress in my skin. Although there are many other factors that could have contributed to my acne reducing I put a lot of it down to this product and it is now a staple in my skin care routine. 
One thing that I love about this product is that it is not specifically directed at acne-prone skin. I personally get sick of using acne treating products therefore its nice to be able to use a product that is directed at all skin types.
If you are having problems with your skin I urge you to try this product and if you do I really hope that you are not disappointed. Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish has started to make my skin look healthy again and I am so grateful!!

  ♥ 

*Disclaimer: this is not a sponsored post, all thoughts and opinions are my own* 

Don't skip the moisturiser | The Acne Diaries

It's often a misconception among those with oily skin that using a moisturiser will only make things worse. I'd be lying to you of I said I didn't once believe this myself. 

I have very oily skin that is massively prone to acne breakouts (I'm suffering from a serve one right now) and thought that adding more moisture/oil to my skin would only make things worse. WRONG! 

In a desperate attempt to get rid of my breakouts I was using every spot/acne treatment I could find instead of a moisturiser and my skin was suffering because of it. Rather than drying my spots out like I thought they would it made them a lot were. They were red raw and scabbing over which made them almost impossible to cover with makeup. I also have very sensitive skin around my eyes and nose and not using a moisturiser was causing these areas to suffer.

So after the realisation that not using a moisturiser was worsening my skin I started using one again and instantly saw a difference. 

It is however important to use a moisturiser tailored to your skin type. Having oily skin I use a moisturiser that is oil free. I am currently using Simple's oil balancing moisturiser and so far so good. It doesn't cause my skin to break out and manages to keep my oiliness at bay too. Sometimes when my skin is really bad I mix my moisturiser with a spot treatment. I am really liking The Body Shop's Tea Tree skin clearing lotion which by itself used to dry out my skin but mixing it with my moisturiser has stopped this problem. 

A few of my favourite moisturisers are The Body Shop's Aloe Vera Soothing Day Cream and Ren's T Zone Balancing Gel Cream.

Which moisturisers are your favourite? 

                                     ♥